j'ai 11 ans
The French phrase for "my age is 11" is j'ai 11 ans.
This phrase is used to communicate how many years old a person is. If you wish to ask someone else their age, you can use the question Quel âge avez-vous ?, which means "What is your age?"
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "I have 11 years". This is because French uses the verb avoir (to have) to express age rather than the verb "to be". The component j'ai means "I have", and ans means "years".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cameroon, J'ai onze ans is used to express "My age is 11."
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the first-person singular conjugation of the verb avoir in the form j'ai. The word ans is the plural form of an (year) and is required at the end of the sentence to complete the expression of age.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the verb être (to be) to state their age, but in French, you must use avoir (to have).
Did you know?
- Because the phrase uses the verb avoir, saying je suis 11 would not mean you are eleven years old, but rather that you are the number eleven itself.
- The concept of 'having' years is shared by other Romance languages like Spanish Tengo 11 años and Italian Ho 11 anni, reflecting a common Latin root.
- While French uses avoir to state age, it uses être to describe a person as 'old' in general, such as saying Il est vieux for 'He is old'.
Examples in context
- J'ai 11 ans.I am 11 years old.
- Non, j'ai 11 ans maintenant.No, I am 11 years old now.
Example conversation
Two children are meeting at a birthday party.
- NathanSalut ! Je m'appelle Nathan. Et toi ?Hi! My name is Nathan. And you?
- EmmaJe m'appelle Emma. Quel âge as-tu ?My name is Emma. How old are you?
- NathanMoi, j'ai 11 ans.Me, I am 11 years old.
- EmmaMoi aussi ! On peut jouer ensemble ?Me too! Can we play together?
